Archive for category: Global Poverty

Key articles and information on global poverty.

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The Importance of Education in Kilimanjaro: Inside Out Project

Education in Kilimanjaro
The Importance of Education in Kilimanjaro is a 24-portrait photography exhibition in Moshi, Tanzania that is advocacy-based. The exhibition premiered in 2014 and was led by the Inside Out Project. The exhibition traveled from a small village in France, Rogerville, to the school of Mbokumu in Tanzania, which is located in a village by Kilimanjaro.

The Inside Out Project was created by JR, a French artist and photographer, after he received the TED Prize in 2011. Speaking about the project, JR said, “I wish for you to stand up for what you care about by participating in a global art project, and together we’ll turn the world…inside out.”

The goal of the project is to allow worldwide participation by taking people’s portraits and publicly displaying them in exhibitions to support certain ideas or experiences. Since 2011, Inside Out has had 260,000 participants across the globe in 129 different countries.

Each one of the 24 portraits in the Importance of Education in Kilimanjaro project is taken by a schoolchild of a different age. Additional photos in the exhibition picture the children putting the exhibition together. They are seen laughing, dancing and helping the Inside Out team paste the large-scale photographs throughout the streets.

In Moshi, Tanzania, there are many issues regarding education in the community. There are high drop-out rates, students miss school on a regular basis and there are low levels of progression. Most schools in the area face challenges such as a lack of reliable transportation, classrooms and teachers. The exhibition speaks to the necessity for children to be able to access quality education, despite their background. No matter where they are born, every child deserves equal access to education.

In addition to The Importance of Education in Kilimanjaro, many of the Inside Out Project’s exhibits speak to the significance of education across the globe

– Shannon Elder

Photo: Flickr

Poverty in the Virgin Islands

Poverty in Virgin Islands
This year, articles detailing adventures in the Virgin Islands have populated news feeds, travel blogs and online newspapers. To celebrate its 100th anniversary of becoming a U.S. territory, the U.S. Virgin Islands is offering $300 in travel credits to visitors vacationing for three or more nights in 2017. President Obama was recently photographed kitesurfing in the British Virgin Islands. However, outside of the scenic and comforting oceanfront villas that whisk vacationers away to alternate dimensions of rest and relaxation, the internet lacks recent data on poverty in the Virgin Islands.

U.S. Virgin Islands

Recently, the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) has been unstable. Between 2011 and 2015, real gross territorial product (GTP) decreased by 7.8%. However, in 2015 alone, real GTP increased by 0.2% in the USVI; in comparison, U.S. real gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 2.6% in 2015. It is alarming that exports have decreased significantly. Between 2011 and 2015, total exports decreased by 41%; in 2015 alone, total exports decreased by 80%.

The number of jobs in manufacturing on the Islands decreased by over 20% between 2011 and 2015. One of the world’s largest refineries based in the USVI shut down in 2012, driving this decrease in jobs. In the same year, refined petroleum exports to the U.S. plummeted by 90 percent. However, civilian employment increased in 2015, the most recent year that displays data. Furthermore, employment within leisure and hospitality remained fairly consistent between 2011 and 2015, which indicates a steady tourism industry.

A 2010 U.S. census found that 22% of the population in the Virgin Islands lives in poverty. Fifty percent of those living under the poverty level were families led by single mothers. The Congressional Research Service discovered that on average, children living in female-headed families were more likely to live in poverty than children living in two-parent households.

Euromonitor explains that tourism heavily impacts the USVI. The Wall Street Journal discovered that annual expenditures by visitors between 2007 and 2013 fell 19%. The article discovered that the Islands have high levels of debt and mounting pension obligations. If new bonds cannot be sold, widespread layoffs are a possibility.

The British Virgin Islands

Like its counterpart, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) relies on tourism to support its economy. A.M. Best, a U.S. based rating agency, found that tourism generates approximately 40% of the territory’s revenue. The rest is generated by the financial services sector. The BVI is extremely attractive to international businesses. For the first quarter ending in 2015, the BVI has registered over 478,000 companies. A.M. Best found that its economy grew two percent in 2015; however, insufficient data exists to properly understand the BVI’s poverty rate.

Levels of poverty in the Virgin Islands remain somewhat ambiguous; however, the Wall Street Journal stated that the USVI’s budget deficit is around $110 million. Therefore, travel credits are a great way to attract more visitors and increase visitor exports. Highlighting the USVI travel credits, a writer for Thrillist said, “We should be banging down the doors to get in, not the other way around.” U.S. News found that the USVI was one of the best places to visit in the Caribbean — especially during the springtime.

– Andy Jung

Photo: Flickr

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Top 10 Facts About the War in Northwest Pakistan

Northwest Pakistan
As the attention of Americans is turned toward the new administration in the White House and the ongoing effects of the Syrian refugee crisis, certain problems in other parts of the world slip under the radar. The war in Northwest Pakistan is one such problem.

Here are some facts about the war that most Americans are not aware of:

  1. Another name for the war in Northwest Pakistan is the war in Waziristan, after the region predominantly affected. Located in the northwest of Pakistan, Waziristan holds three federally administered tribes — the Wazirs, the Mehsuds and the Dawar.
  2. The war began in 2004. The Pakistan Army sought to drive out al-Qaeda and the Taliban, who were using Waziristan as a home-base to attack U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
  3. The Taliban in Pakistan is allied with but not synonymous with the Taliban in Afghanistan. Both forces, along with the Afghan Haqqani network and small branches of al-Qaeda, still occupy Waziristan. Terrorism in the region is the driving force behind the fighting.
  4. An attack in 2014 on the international airport in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest and wealthiest city, triggered the Pakistani government to a new onslaught against the terrorist groups. The attack killed 26 people and tainted the sacred image of the city.
  5. The military operation against the suspected terrorists was code-named Zarb-e-Azb, which was the sword used by the prophet Muhammad in an ancient battle. The retaliating airstrikes killed 140 suspects in Waziristan.
  6. Pakistani forces killed 376 rebels in the first 15 days of the government’s retaliation to the Karachi attack. The number of civilian casualties was not released to the public.
  7. The effects of the war on the civilians of Waziristan are kept tightly hidden from the public. What is known thus far is this: 500,000 residents have fled the region due to the war — some fleeing as far into Afghanistan, and others to eastern regions of Pakistan.
  8. The United States has been periodically involved throughout the war in northwest Pakistan. Between 2008 and 2013, the CIA completed around 400 drone strikes in Waziristan in order “to weaken al-Qaeda and to suppress Taliban fighters.” The attacks came after Obama ordered a new round of American forces into Afghanistan in 2009. The Pakistani government approved the airstrikes.
  9. When the war first launched in 2004, Pakistani forces had suffered three times the loss than the U.S. since the 2001 Afghanistan war on terror.
  10. For years, Washington and other allies called on Islamabad to join the fight in ridding the Waziristan region of rebel militants. Until the act of terrorism in Karachi, Islamabad was resistant. But even with Islamabad’s added assistance, civilians remain pessimistic of the terrorist groups leaving anytime soon.

In 2005, when the war had only started, the local Taliban and its allies declared to be in the “fight until the last man and the last bullet.” Thirteen years later, their determination to defeat the Pakistani government has held true.

– Brenna Yowell

Photo: Flickr

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UWC to Offer Scholarships to Further Education for Refugees

Education for Refugees
United World Colleges (UWC) has committed to raising funds for 100 scholarships per year for refugee students to attend UWC schools worldwide as a part of its UWC Refugee Initiative. Established as a response to the challenges many refugees face due to their politically insecure status, the scholarship program is intended to provide greater access to tertiary education for refugees.

The UWC values each scholarship at $75,000 and says it will cover the full education program, board and lodging, travel and visa support, co-curricular activities, educational materials and student welfare for two years. The UWC plans to finance the $7.5 million needed to support the 100 scholarships with donations from foundations and private donors.

Following the recent executive order restricting refugee access to the United States, UWC released a public statement urging U.S. authorities to ensure that students can safely continue their education in the U.S. regardless of their nationality or their refugee status. UWC’s United States campus also plans to increase its admission of refugee scholars in the fall semester of 2017. Other campuses, such as UWC Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina, committed to providing additional places at their campuses for Muslim and refugee students.

“In light of the dramatic escalation in the number of young refugees, there is an urgent need for refugee talent to gain access to world-class education helping them to become tomorrow’s leaders of their communities,” UWC International Executive Director Jens Waltermann said. “UWC schools, with their emphasis on education for peace, must set an example and inspire others to open their gates to this underserved group.”

A number of other colleges and higher education programs have begun offering scholarships specifically to refugees in recent months, including Wheaton College in Massachusetts, the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and Bard College in Berlin.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees outlined access to tertiary, higher education as a developmental goal in its 2012-2016 education strategy, and listed greater access to scholarships as a potential solution for providing a better education for refugees.

– Casie Wilson

Photo: Flickr

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How Many Refugees Does the United States Accept?

How Many Refugees Does the United States Accept
With Trump’s immigration ban, you may be wondering, how many refugees does the United States accept? To answer this question, you must do some math.

The United States will not accept any more refugees until May 27, and in the meantime, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of State and the Director of National Intelligence will review the screening procedures for refugees. President Trump’s immigration policy includes a 90-day complete ban on individuals from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States. Syrian refugees will be banned from entering the United States for an undetermined amount of time.

Over 100,000 refugees were allowed in the United States in 2016 under Obama’s plan, but Trump is capping the number of refugees allowed into the United States at 50,000. The 2017 fiscal year began last October, and as of Jan. 20, 29,895 refugees were already accepted. This leaves room for only about 20,000 more refugees to enter the United States in 2017 under Trump’s plan.

The United States accepted almost 85,000 refugees in 2016, according to the United States Department of State. In 2016, over 45% of those refugees were Muslim, the highest recorded number of Muslim refugees in history. President Trump said that he will give Christian refugees priority over Muslim refugees in the future.

David Mednicoff, Assistant Director for Public Policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, states that there are many benefits to allowing Syrian refugees in the United States. Syrian refugees bring a knowledge of the conflict in the Middle East and how to diffuse it. Mednicoff believes that if refugees are allowed into the country, they are more likely to show gratitude rather than malice toward the United States.

As you can see, “How many refugees does the United States accept?” is a complicated question. The number of refugees that will be allowed into the United States may change as the 120-day ban ends this summer.

– Jennifer Taggart

Photo: Flickr

Speaking About the Success Against HIV in Africa

HIV in Africa
Big data is buzzing in the healthcare sector. As more and more data becomes available, analysts are looking for ways to improve the healthcare industry. While developed nations, with their multitude of activity trackers and smart devices, are better positioned to leverage big data, developing nations are also taking advantage of the rapidly growing pool of information being recorded.

The International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) at Columbia University was clearly aware of the value of data when it proposed the Population-based HIV Impact Assessment (PHIA) Project. In partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), ICAP has been gathering data to measure the level of success against HIV in Africa. With the help of the ministries of health in the affected countries, they have been conducting surveys and diagnostic tests to measure national HIV incidence, pediatric prevalence and viral suppression. Zimbabwe, Malawi and Zambia were the first countries to release their survey and test results. Over the next several years, 17 other countries will participate in the project and publish their findings.

So far, the results have been encouraging. The data indicates that the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is achieving success against HIV in Africa. PEPFAR is the largest commitment by any nation to combat any single disease internationally. If the results from Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Zambia are early indicators, then the PEPFAR has been well worth the investment.

The initial results of the PHIA Project indicate that these countries are on track to achieve the 90-90-90 targets set by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The goal is to have 90% of HIV patients diagnosed, 90 on antiretroviral therapy and 90% with adequate viral suppression by 2020. Models predict that the AIDS epidemic can be ended by 2030 if these goals are reached.

In Zimbabwe and Zambia, the treatment and viral suppression goals are almost a reality; more than 85% of patients are on treatment and virally suppressed. In Malawi, the viral suppression target has already been reached. The percentage of patients on treatment is just shy of 90%. Ninety percent and 86% of women and men, respectively, are on treatment. In all three countries, though, improvements in diagnosis are needed. Three out of every 10 patients are unaware of their status.

However, these early indicators of success against HIV in Africa are not signs that there is no more work to be done. Rather, in the words of Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, the director of ICAP, “Now more than ever, we have to keep our foot on the pedal and push even harder.”

– Rebecca Yu

Photo: Flickr

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Feed the Future Initiative Fights Hunger in Bangladesh


Bangladesh, a primarily agricultural society, has been plagued by poverty and malnutrition for many years. The 2010 USAID-funded Feed the Future training program, however, has empowered farmers to increase their yields. The program has improved economic status and given the Bangladeshi people the means to fight back against hunger. This can particularly be seen in the life of Taroni Kanto Shikari, whose economic status improved to the point where he could send his son to school and his daughter to college.

Hunger and food insecurity continue to plague many Asian countries, and Bangladesh is no exception. The country has a population of 160 million. Over 40% of that population lives on less than one dollar per day and struggles with food insecurity. A stagnating economy, rising inflation and unpredictable natural disasters all contribute to hunger in Bangladesh. As the nation’s population grows, so does its rates of hunger and malnutrition.

Malnutrition is extremely prevalent in Bangladesh, particularly among children and pregnant women. In 2015, worldhunger.org reported that 51% of pregnant women in Bangladesh do not consume adequate amounts of vitamin A. The site also reported that over 40% of adolescent girls are iron deficient and anemic. Bangladesh also has a high wasting and stunting rate, both of which stem from malnutrition and can permanently inhibit a child’s growth.

Battling Hunger Through Education

In 2010, USAID began the Feed the Future initiative, an ongoing program that fights back against hunger and malnutrition. The program operates by equipping farmers with the tools and the knowledge to increase their crop yields. The initiative consists of training seminars to teach farmers in Bangladesh better farming techniques and to equip them with better seeds and fertilizers.

Feed the Future has been very effective towards fighting hunger in Bangladesh, as can be seen in the life of Taroni Kanto Shikari, a rice farmer from the southern region of Bangladesh. As a rice farmer, Taroni’s income is dependent upon his yield. After all, Taroni says, “Rice is our life, rice is everything.” In 2010, Taroni attended USAID agricultural training, where he learned how to increase his rice yields with better seeds, fertilizer and techniques.

As a result of Taroni’s USAID-training, his rice production practically doubled and has increased steadily by 18% each season. His rice now requires one-third less fertilizer, reducing his production costs. He is also able to produce more vegetables with these new techniques, significantly increasing nutrient intake for his family. Taroni’s income has dramatically increased, and he can now afford to send his daughter to medical school and buy a bicycle for his son to attend school.

Hunger and malnutrition in southern Asian countries such as Bangladesh are rising issues. The problem will continue to worsen as populations rise and natural disasters ravage the region. Initiatives such as USAID’s Feed the Future program, however, are operating in countries around the world to give farmers like Taroni the tools to fight back against hunger and malnutrition.

– Chasen Turk

Photo: Flickr

African Leaders of State Vow to Provide Universal Access to Immunization


Preventable diseases continue to claim thousands of lives each year in Africa, but leaders of state have taken a bold stand against this reality. An official pledge in January affirmed their commitment to realizing the goal of universal access to immunization by the year 2020.

African Union Commission Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stated in a press release following the Addis Declaration on Immunization (ADI) summit: “With political support at the highest levels, we are closer than ever to ensuring that all children in Africa have an equal shot at a healthy and productive life.”

This announcement marks the continuation of ongoing efforts to provide immunizations to citizens of 40 separate countries by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. To date, Gavi has saved more than 4.5 million lives by providing vaccines.

“African leaders are making a sound economic investment in future generations,” Dr. Seth Berkley, the CEO of Gavi, said in response to the announcement.

Berkley’s comment is not figurative. According to a 2016 study by Johns Hopkins University, when factoring in quality of life and reduction in economic disease burdens, every one dollar invested by the U.S. in vaccination among the 94 poorest countries on Earth yields a staggering 44 dollars in returns. In those countries directly supported by Gavi, the figure rises even higher, to 48 dollars.

The extensive list of diseases prevented by such immunizations includes polio, whooping cough, tetanus, yellow fever, diarrhea, cervical cancers and the most deadly of all, measles. Due to its highly contagious nature, measles alone was the cause of nearly 40,000 deaths in Africa in 2013, based on a survey by the World Health Organization.

The African government is not alone in supporting immunization efforts for children. Africa United, a platform for raising awareness of global health issues, has enlisted star football athletes to provide public service adverts during this year’s Total Africa Cup of Nations tournament. “Football unites people from all across Africa and beyond,” stated Issa Hayatou, the President of the Confederation of African Football, the governing body of professional football for Africa. “Together we can help ensure millions of African children are immunized by 2020.”

Though great strides have been made during the past 15 years, approximately one in five young people in Africa still do not have access to vaccines that prevent these life-threatening diseases. This pledge may mark the first step in reducing that number to zero by providing universal access to immunization.

– Dan Krajewski

Photo: Flickr

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Armyworm Infestation May Cause New Food Crisis in Southern Africa

Southern Africa_Food
Particular regions of southern Africa are currently grappling with food crises caused by record-setting droughts. On top of this, a new crop-eater is singling out these vulnerable areas. In doing so, the crop-eater’s presence causes concern for a new food crisis in southern Africa.

The pest is called a “fall armyworm,” though it is far more caterpillar-like than that of a worm. The first report of an infestation came from South Africa’s agricultural department in early February, when they noted its arrival and unfamiliarity.

The fall armyworm does not originate in Africa and is instead proven to come from the Americas. Experts believe the invasion may have arrived on ships of maize imported from the Americas during the El Nino between 2015 and 2016. The same El Nino jumpstarted the droughts that southern Africa is still currently wrestling through.

Farmers have likened the infestation of this new, strange pest to “one of the 10 plagues in the Bible […] It’s widespread and seems to be spreading rapidly.”

Indeed, there are several problems caused by the fall armyworm that may induce a new food crisis in southern Africa.

The Dangers

  1. While the fall armyworm feeds off of a variety of crops, such as cotton, soybean and tobacco, it is primarily targeting southern Africa’s primary food staple — maize.
  2. An armyworm-infested crop is not noticeable until it’s too late. The pest conceals itself from farmers by digging straight into the stem of the maize. Up to three-quarters of the crop can be destroyed without visibility.
  3. The worm has spread to six countries in eight weeks. The armyworms eventually develop into moths that are capable of traveling long distances. Each moth can lay up to 2,000 eggs, and each egg has a rapid life cycle.
  4. The fall armyworms are invading right on the heels of a horrific drought. A food crisis in southern Africa on top of an already-existing food shortage could be catastrophic.

Currently, the fall armyworm has traveled to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Zambia, Namibia and Mozambique. New reports are currently developing in Nigeria and Ghana. Unfortunately, the Americas—where the fall armyworm originates—first reported infestations in 1957 and have still been unable to find solutions to eradicate them. They are considered second only to the red locusts in terms of the amount of damage they are able to inflict.

The most farmers can do now is try to control the invasion through pesticides and careful watch for larva in the leaves of their crops.

In the meantime, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization is holding an emergency meeting on this matter later this week in Zimbabwe.

– Brenna Yowell

Photo: Flickr

Poverty in Monaco: A Dream Come True

Poverty in Monaco
Poverty in Monaco? The nation is a sovereign city-state that lies along the southern border of France with its toes in the French Riviera. It is the second smallest sovereign nation on earth being only slightly larger than the Vatican. The population is only about 38,000 people. With the size being only about 0.78 square miles, it is possible to walk the width of the country within an hour.

Monaco has two major sources of income: tourism and millionaires purchasing properties. As a result, the poverty line has been all but erased, with everyone being above it. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2009, Monaco is “NA [not-applicable]” for statistics on the national population below the poverty line because there are none.

One-third of the population is made up of millionaires. Monaco’s population is only 16% Monegasque in origin while the other 84% are wealthy outsiders. With 47% French nationals, and the other 37% a combination of Italians, Britons, Belgians, Germans and Americans (and recognizing that Monaco is only 38,000 people strong), the imposition of foreigners is unusual.

Monaco does not charge income tax on its residents. This hefty tax break attracts many of the globe’s rich and famous to its shores. According to WealthInsight, one-third of the population of Monaco is made up of millionaires. That means that if 12 people were walking down the streets of Monaco, at least four of them would have platinum cards in their pockets and millions of dollars in their bank accounts.

Monaco began its tradition of no income tax in 1869 after the creation of the Grand Casino de Monte Carlo. In 1858, when the Casino had its grand opening, it “[had] been so successful in bringing in profits that the government decided to stop collecting income taxes from residents,” according to Eric Goldschien in Business Insider Magazine.

Tourism is a big income earner. One of Monaco’s only income-earning industries is tourism and with its beautiful climate and crowd-drawing sites like the Grand Prix and five major casinos, three of which being in Monte Carlo, it is an easy means for capital. In Professor Michael Porter’s paper Monaco’s Tourism Cluster, he states that “Monaco has, for over a century, successfully made tourism…its biggest income earner…”

The many areas of tourism in Monaco include hotels/spas, restaurants/bars, gambling, conferences, sports, tour operators, health/medical and culture/leisure activities. With all of these major tourism sectors hard at work, the income turnover for Monaco totals 100 billion euros, which is roughly equivalent to 105,775,000,000 dollars.

A Monegasque family’s monthly budget averages higher than global comparisons. Paul Nayakazeya in The Financial Gazette compared the average consumer basket of a family in Zimbabwe to that of a family in Monaco.

A consumer basket explains the way a family spends its money by monitoring the most commonly bought foods, household items and services that are offered in the consumer market. Anything a person can buy, be it a sandwich or a haircut, is included in the consumer market and examined in a family’s basket, i.e. the purchased commodities.

A family of six in Zimbabwe will spend roughly 561 dollars in one month, while a family of five in Monaco will spend an average of 12,000 dollars.

The government reinvests tourism earnings and other capital gains back into the community to improve the quality of life and to entice the wealthy to continue traveling and buying properties. Even though these improvements are meant to attract foreigners with money, the natives benefit from it as well, effectively creating a virtually nonexistent poverty line within their tiny, proud and sovereign nation.

– Karyn Adams

Photo: Flickr